Retracting device for kneeling benches



B. S. BERNHARD BETRACTING DEVlCE FOR KNEELING BENCHES Feb. 1, 1949.

Figlecb- Jan 16, 1946 Snoentor (Ittorneg Feb. 1, 1949. g, BERNHARD 2,460,791

RETRVACTING DEVICE FOR KNEELING BENCHES Filed Jan. 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :Suventor Gttomeg Patented Feb. 1, 1949 UNITED RETRACTING STATES TENT OFFICE:

DEVICE Fon KNEELING ENcrnis` Application `lanuary 16, 1946, Serial No. 641,490

f l i Thisinvention relates to a retracting device for kneeling benches and more particularly to a device ,which is adapted to automatically carry a kneeling bench. into an cut-of-the-way` position,

after it has been used, and retain itin said posii ftionwhile not in use.f i

object ofthe invention is to provide a device which is operated by suitableV mechanismhaving novel advantagesl and which is quiet in its operation, durablein construction, and easy to operate. Further advantages and objects of this inven- ,tion will be more clearly understood from the following description and from the accompanying `drawingain which-1v lFigure l isa iront view of and the retracting mechanism therefor which embodies my invention..

, Figure 2 is an end view, in central vertical section online 2-2 of Fig. 1. i. Figure 3 is a similar view on line 3-3 of Fig'. 1 Fig ure l is adetail view-of the bumper used for my improved retracting mechanism. l rFigure V5 is an enlarged front view, partially in central vertical section, of the said mechanism. `Figurefi is an end View, in central vertical section, of a modified form of the said mechai Figure V'7 is'a. front view of the operating spring 'andjcasing 'therefor with the cover removed.

shown in the drawings, 5--5 denotes the sides of a pew'v bench having a seat 5 extending therebetween. `A kneeling bench 'l is normally positioned between seat' 6, and is` adapted to be moved into-position fiorA use-as clearly illustrated indotted Vlines in Figs. 2, f3 and 6. Thelmechanism for carrying said kneeling bench comprises a support that is preferably in the form of a casing 8 whichv is secured to one of the benchsides 5 and has a bearing 9 within whichis rotatably mounted a shaft l@ that extends through a spring winding drum Il having a notched adjusting ratchet flange l2. The said shaftis retained in position by means of a screw 'I 3Y which extends through the rear of the casing 8 and has a washer I4 fitting against a shoulder at the end of the shaft to permit'rotation thereof. l A'spring l5 is contained within the casing 8 with `its outer end secured to an abutment I6, in the casing 8, and its inner end secured in a groove Il in the winding drum ll. #f A bench carrying lever" i8 is secured to the shaft 'l and extends upwardly therefrom to a pivot I9 upon a bracketjZD-that is attached to the side of the kneeling benchleg 2l'. "Another lever 22Y is a kneeling bench l theA said sides 5--5, under the' 9 claims. (c1.v 155-156) 2 pivotedpat 23, upon the casing. 8, and extends therefrom to a pivot 24 upon the bracket 2B.

At the opposite end of the kneeling bench `lf and attachedto the leg 2,5 thereof there is a bracket `26-to which there is pivoted, at 21, a lever 28 which 'extends to a bracketvv 29 that. is secured to the Aopposite bench side 5, the lever 28 being pivoted by means of a stud 30. Another lever 3l ispivoted upon the bracket26, at 32, and extends to the pivot 33 on the bracket29.

Suitable bumpers 34-34 are secured to the sides 5--5 in positiontoabut the levers laA andz28 so as to stop the operationotne lifting'device and locate the kneeling bench in its retracted position. The said bumpers may be constructed as shown in Fig. 4, and comprise a frame 35 having a tubularporton 36 within whichnthere is mounted a: spring 31 pressing outwardly on a slidable button 38r which engages oneof the-levers 18u28.; 'f The tension on the spring Vl5 may be adjusted forthe weight of the kneeling bench, as may be desired, by disengaging a dog 38-a,` which -is pivoteki-to the-lever 8, from the ratchet l2, rotating thedrum Il until the'proper tension in the spring' is obtained, `and then; again engaging the' dog SEQ-a with the ratchet to retain the adjust;- ment. I t Y y fThe operationofthe invention-is asffollows:`

In its normal position, `the kneeling bench is located under the,` seat 6 as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6. When it is. desired to use the bench, it is simply swung downwardly, to the position shown .inV dotted lines `in Figs. 2 and 3. The parallel levers'lS and 22 andZS-.and 3l witl act to constantly retainthe bench in a vertical position and' as it'is carried from the retracted position' to the lowered' position for use, when the movement of the lever i8 will cause'winding of the 'spring l5'.

As long 'as there are persons. kneeling on the bench, it will remain in its downward position. When the last person arises, the spring I5, will act upon the' drum Il which` in turn will` rotate the lever I8 and raise the kneeling bench to its 'retracted position. As the bench reaches its retractedposition, the levers I8 and 28 will strike the bumpers 35 and the bench will cometo a stop without .causing undue noise which would be rather disturbing where many of such benches wouldbe operating at about the same time.

In order to further reduce noise from the operation of the said retracting device, I may, ifdesired7 providean air cushion at each side 5-5 of' the seat which cushion may be in the form of Y upon a bracket 4|.

kward movement of the lifting Y "rotatable infsaid casing and Y. gregation. The said air cushion also acts as Va positive stop,

when the plunger reaches the limit of its inward movement into thel cylinder 31, to

1 retain Vthe kneeling bench in its retracted position.

checking the up- Y 4 with said shaft and having its opposite end pivoted to a kneeling bench, a separate lever pivoted to said casing and kneeling bench parallel to the iirst lever, and means between the first lever and the ratchet for adjustably connecting said spring to said lever for operation of the mechanism to lift thebench from a loweredV position to a retracted position. Y

4. A device of the character described for lift- `ing a kneeling bench from a lowered position to a retracted position under a seat; said device comprising a mechanism having a casing mount- It may be found in some cases, and particularly where long kneeling benches are used, that 'When the said benches are the far end opposite the spring operating side of the retracting device, there willbe a twist in the bench, between that end and the opposite end,l

due to pull against the `resistance of the spring .I5 being' appliedV from the saidV far end of the bench; VInxorder to avoid this, I may provide a tierbar between the'levers- I8 and 28,' as clearly illustrated in Figsl and 5 of the drawings.

l 'The said tie bar may consist of a vtubular'bar 44 and may be secured at one end to the shaft I0 'by means of aconnectingsleeve 45 and at the opposite end to a hub 46 uponv the lever. 28. This barwill tie the two Yopposite ends of the retracting mechanism so that they' will operate together Vand thereby eliminate any tendency of the kneeling'bench to twist regardless of where the bench is grasped for m vement toits downward posi-f tion.:k Y .I-rclaimzf 'Y i A device of the character described for lifting'fa kneeling bench from a lowered position to araisedt position'where thesaid bench is Vretra'cted` under a seat, the said device comprising a mechanism including a casing mounted at the side fof said seat, a leverpivotally-mounted at onefend to 'said'casing and at the opposite end to the kneeling bench, a separate lever having one end pivoted at a point spaced from the-pivot of the Yfirst lever Ain the casing vand fits opposite end pivoted to saidbench at a point spaced from the first/lever, vspring means urging said levers to 'raise said'bench,Y and stop means for limiting the movement of said layers toV locate the bench in a retracted position under the seat.

2. A deviceof thelcharacter described for lift` in ga kneeling` bench Vfrom a lowered position to a raisedjretracted position underneath a seat, the said device comprisinga casing secured to one'side of rand under the seat`,.ja, shaft pivoted in said casing, a, c andlvpivotally Vsecured at its'opposite end to a kneeling bench, aspring contained within said casingand havingl one' end thereof secured to thecasingv and lthe oppositeend connected to Vsaid 'shaft for Vrotating the same and urging Vthe lever 'tolift'the kneeling bench, and means beftween said Vspring and lever foradjusti'ng the tension of the spring.V y

'f 3. A device of the character described for, lift# ing a kneeling VVbenchfrom a lowered position .to

a retracted position underneath a seat; the said 'cleviceY comprising acasing secured to one side ofV theseat, av shaft rotatably mounted in said Yc'asing, a spring contained withinv the casing'and securedfthereto. at one end, a spring adjusting having'V the ,other end 'fof said spring secured thereto, a

seminaire n .',Seiddrem i @vegetable lever. extendingV from *saidV shaft grasped for lowering from4 i ed to one side of the seat, an axial hub in said V casing,1a.shaft rotatably mounted in said hub. a cover for said casing, a drum projecting through said cover and rotatable upon the exterior of said hub, a spring secured between said casing and drum, a bracket having spaced pivots and secured to anrend of the kneeling bench, a lever rotatable with said shaft and pivotally connected to' one of the pivots on said bracket, a, separate lever parallel Vto kthe rst lever andpivoted t0 ient abutment engageablewith the rst' lever to limit the movement thereof.V Y Y 6. A device of the character described for lifting a kneelingbench from a lowered position to a' raised retractedposition under a seat; the said device comprising a casing mounted to one side of said seat, a shaftrotatable-in said casing, a spring urging the rotation of saidshaft inone direction, a lever rotatable-with said shaft, a bracket secured Ito yone end-of the-kneeling bench andhaving a pivotal point-to which isA secured oneend of said'lever, ad second lever parallel to thefrst lever and pivoted to the said casing and bracket, a, bracket' mounted lto the opposite side of said seat, a bracket secured to the opposite end of said bench,vand parallel levers opposed to each of the rst and second levers at the opposite end of the benchand attached to the said brackets for movably supporting one end of said bench.

7. A device of the*V character described for lifting a kneeling bench from a lowered position to a retracted positionunder a'seat; 'the said device comprising a casing mounted at one sidej of said seat, a shaft rotatable'in said 'casing, ja rst lever rotatable with saidshafit, a second lever'pivotally mounted-at a point spaced fromV saidY shaft, a pair of similar levers similarly mountedv at Vthe opposite'side of said seat, a kneeling bench pivotally supported upon'the outerv ends of said leversfor movement thereof in arvertical position from a lowered'to a retracted position, a, ,spring .urging saidshaft for operatingthe first pairof levers to raise said bench,'and a connecting bar rotat.- ablejwith said shaft'and connecting the opposite pair of levers therewith for combining the operation of said pairsV of levers to wind said spring by engagement' with thelkneeling bench at any point thereofrwhile preventing `twisting of the kneeling bench. n r Y i V 8. A kneelingdevice-,of the-character described for lifting akneeling'bench from a'loweredposition to a retracted position` underneath aseat, the said device 'comprising aV lever pivotally. mounted to the side of the seat and extending therefrom with its outer end pivotally secured to the end of a kneeling bench, spring means urging said lever for moving said bench from a lowered to a retracted position, means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said bench to itsl retracted position, said movement resisting means comprising a cylinder and a piston relatively movable and connected at one end to said seat and at the other end to the said lever to provide air pressure for resisting the retracting vmovement of the mechanism and stopping the kneeling bench' in its retracted position when the limit of said relative movement between the piston andcylinder is reached.

9. A device of the character described for lifting a kneeling bench from a lower position to a retracted position underneath the seat, the said device comprising a casing mounted at one end of said seat, a shaft rotatable in said casing, a rst lever rotatable with said shaft, a second lever pivotally mounted at a, point spaced from said shaft, a pair oi levers pivotally mounted at the opposite side of said seat, a kneeling bench pivotally supported upon the outer ends of said levers for movement thereof in a vertical posi tion from a lowered to a retracted position, a spring urging said shaft for operating the first pair of levers to raise said bench, a connecting bar rotatable with said shaft and connecting therewith the opposite lever corresponding to said rst lever for combining the operation of said pairs of levers to carry said kneeling bench and prevent twisting thereof, and air pressure controlled means for yieldingly 'resisting the movement of the bench towards its retracted position.

BENJAMIN S. BERNHARD.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are ci record in the ie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

